1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a wire harness, which is routed and distributed throughout a vehicle body or the like of an automobile.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A wire harness for connecting electrical systems of an automobile is fixed at required positions in a vehicle body, where the wire harness is routed and distributed, by using retainers such as clips. The wire harness is at least partially accommodated in and protected by an elongated case-shaped protector.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show one example of the structure for fixing the wire harness to the vehicle body by using clips and protectors. As shown in FIG. 6, a wire harness 1 branches off at required positions and is connected to various kinds of mounted electrical apparatuses through electric connectors 2 disposed at leading ends of the branches. Such a wire harness 1 is fixed to the vehicle body in specific positions by using clips 3 and protectors 4.
FIG. 7 shows an example of the mounting structure in which the wire harness 1 is mounted to an instrument panel 5. In appropriate mounting regions, two clips 3 are secured at two adjacent positions on the wire harness 1 by winding an adhesive tape 4 around the wire harness 1 and the clips 3. Two mounting holes 6 are provided in the instrument panel 5 on the vehicle body side corresponding thereto. The clips 3 are inserted into the respective mounting holes 6 in a single motion providing the sensation of resilient clicks, thereby fixing the wire harness 1 to the instrument panel.
In addition, FIG. 8 shows a conventional example illustrating a case where the wire harness 1 is routed and fixed to another portion of the vehicle body, such as a door or its vicinity, other than the aforementioned instrument panel 5. In this case, a flange 8 is provided on the mounting portion of a vehicle body 7, and a mounting hole 9 for receiving the clip 3, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, is provided in the flange 8. Both the flange 8 and the mounting hole 9 are provided in the vehicle body 7 by die stamping.
FIG. 9 shows a type of protector that is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 130939/1997 and invented by the present applicant. Referring to FIG. 9, this protector 10 is provided with a longitudinal slit 12 extending in the longitudinal direction of a body 11. A bottom end of the slit 12 is formed as an elongated accommodating portion 13 for accommodating a wire harness 14. In addition, a hollow portion 15 for charging air into the interior of the protector body 11 is provided. The wire harness 14 is retained in the accommodating portion 13 by injecting the air into the hollow portion 15 so that the wire harness is held firmly.
With the wire-harness mounting structures shown in the above-described conventional examples, it is necessary to prepare the clips 3 having special configurations by processing them as single units so as to fixedly mount the wire harness 1 to the instrument panel 5 of the vehicle body. Moreover, since the clips 3 are fixed by winding the adhesive tape 4 around the clips 3 and the wire harness 1, the number of elements required for fixation increases, as does the time and degree of difficulty required for the operation. Thus, there is a disadvantage due to the cost increases associated with the large number of elements and the increase in the number of manhours. Furthermore, a number of mounting holes 6 corresponding to the number of the clips 3 must be provided on the instrument panel 5 side with accurate pitches, so that dimensional accuracy is required, leading to a further increase in the overall manufacturing cost.
In addition, in the case where the wire harness is mounted to another portion of the vehicle body 7 other than the instrument panel, if the flanges 8 are specially provided on the vehicle body 7 and the clip mounting holes 9 are additionally provided, as shown in FIG. 8, die stamping becomes complex, and the cost is further increased.
In addition, in the case of the protector 10 shown in FIG. 9, its use is limited to the wire harnesses 14 for retaining wires of substantially specific diameters. Thus, the protector 10 cannot be easily used to retain wire harnesses of different wire diameters. Generally, air ducts are formed in the vehicle body, and if the wire harness can be passed through and fixed in such air ducts, the space can be effectively utilized, resulting in an advantageous arrangement. With the protector 10 of the aforementioned publication, however, it is impossible to place the protector 10 in such an air duct.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a wire-harness mounting structure which makes it possible to realize low cost by reducing the number of members necessary for mounting the wire harness.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire-harness mounting structure which makes it possible to fix the wire harness to the vehicle body of an automobile, by making effective use of, for example, a recessed portion between duct partition walls of an air duct provided in the instrument panel.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wire-harness mounting structure that is adaptable to mount wire harnesses of different types of wire diameter.